Kari lay on her side, staring at the wall while she listened to Evan move around in the bathroom. The sheets still smelled like him. Cypress and juniper. She should have felt safe, comforted, but instead her chest ached with a jumble of emotions she couldn’t quite sort out. He had asked to mark her again. Even though he had promised to let her set the pace, he kept pushing, kept reaching for more. Part of her wanted it desperately. Part of her felt trapped by it.
The mattress dipped as he climbed back into bed. His arm slid around her waist and pulled her against his chest, his warmth pressing into her back. She resisted the instinct to melt into him, keeping her body stiff even as he nuzzled the crown of her head.
“You’re quiet again,” he murmured, lips brushing her hairline. “Too quiet
